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British squad set for 2017 season opener

25 Jan 2017

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Olympic Champion Adam Peaty will spearhead a squad of
British swimmers who are set to begin their 2017 season in Luxembourg this
weekend.

The squad of 13 swimmers includes Olympic silver
medallists Siobhan-Marie O’Connor, Stephen Milne, Duncan Scott, Dan Wallace and
Chris Walker-Hebborn, and will face a field of over 500 athletes from 20
different nations at the Luxembourg Euro Meet.

The action takes place in a 50m, 10 lane pool at the
Aquatic Centre d’Coque from 27 to 29 January and will provide the first long
course (50m) test of the new Olympic cycle for many of the British contingent.

It is the first time British Swimming has sent a squad to
the event and Head Coach Bill Furniss believes it offers a stern test at the
start of the new long course season.

“This will be a tough challenge for our first long course
event of the season but is just one element of a bigger race strategy of
several long course meets that builds up to the British Championships in April,”
explained Furniss.

“Our athletes will be at different stages of preparation,
as some will have had an extended break after the Olympics, so this will provide
a good litmus test and indication of where they are.

“It’s the first time we’ve been to this particular event
as a squad but we wanted to change our targeted races this year to provide
fresh stimulus and increase the athletes’ experiences.

“The athletes will follow it up with their own chosen
events in February before they come back together as a bigger squad in March
for the Indianapolis Grand Prix.”